


an oaf of a son

by SarkaS



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Don’t copy to another site, Established Relationship, Family Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Meeting the Parents, Peapod McHanzo Week, THAT'S WHERE JESSE GETS IT FROM, mama McCree is a badass, mama McCree is not pleased with you Jesse, this just mostly came up really cute and a lot feelsy (is that a word? I'm making it a word)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-08
Updated: 2019-01-08
Packaged: 2019-10-06 15:50:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17348066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SarkaS/pseuds/SarkaS
Summary: Day 6 of Peapod McHanzo Week: Meet the FamilyWhen the team is caught in the mission aftermath and cannot get out of the area, they need a safe place to lay low for a while. Luckily one Jesse McCree has such a place, despite not being very happy about having to go there.Jesse has made some less than stellar life choices and now it's time to face some consequences.





	an oaf of a son

**Author's Note:**

> There might be mistakes I overlooked during readthrough, if so, I apologize. Please let me know and I'll fix it later. I'm too tired now and can barely see the screen, not to mention tiny letters.

“I’m sorry, loves. The bobbies are swarming everywhere, there is no way I can pick you up before it calms down a bit.” Lena’s voice came through the comms small and brought no hope with it. “Can you find a place to hole up in for some time until I’m not pinned down?”

“There are no secure Overwatch safehouses in this area,” Ana confirmed Lena’s fears. “Personally I don’t have one here either. Too far from my usual place of… business.”

“You got safehouses?” Lucio asked, bewildered, which was answer enough about his possible contributions. 

Ana just patted the DJ on the arm with a motherly smile. “Don’t you worry, you will get some of your own soon.”

That was clearly not what Lucio wished to hear today. His expression turning uncomfortable. 

“Safe houses, phah,” Zarya scoffed, then turned her face up to scowl at the still scorching late afternoon sun. Jesse stayed hidden under the brim of his hat, waiting, and hoping. 

Mei wasn’t faring any better in the heat and just shook his head at Ana’s questioning look. That left Hanzo and Jesse pretty much knew his answer already. 

“Shimada clan used to own several properties all over the country but I do not know if they still do. And I would not trust them to be safe in any case.”

Jesse considered all their other options but there weren’t many. This wasn’t a place where you can stay hidden for long, not like in big cities. They will be found eventually. 

“I got a place.” He forced out eventually. “Haven’t been there in some years but it should be safe. For a short while at least.”

He felt Hanzo’s hand on his thigh, the archer probably having noticed Jesse’s discomfort. He looked up with a sour look. “We will have to get a ride, though. It’s about two and a half hour south-east from here.”

Ana’s single remaining eye was taking him in, sharp as ever. “Let us do that, then.” She agreed eventually. 

 

They found a usable hover van in the next block over, Ana making a short work of the alarm. It looked like a delivery truck, luckily empty. Inconveniencing one person was enough, they would hate to also do it to dozens of others who were waiting for their deliveries. 

Jesse took the wheel and the rest of them piled in the back. It wouldn’t be a comfortable ride by any means. 

They made two more transport changes. Mei didn’t like it, insisting stealing one car was bad enough, but Jesse put his foot down. 

“We take another car or you can find yourself another safe house, he declared, crossing his arms over his chest. He was in no mood for arguments. This will go his way or no way. 

It went his way. For the last stretch of the journey, Hanzo joined him at the front of the car, shooting Jesse concerned looks when he thought the cowboy wasn’t paying attention to him. 

“Ya can just ask, ya know? Not gonna bite ya.” 

Hanzo stiffened at those words but then breathed out and melted back into the seat. 

“You do not seem comfortable with divulging the location of this safe house. I do not think it is because you do not trust us, so that leads me to believe it is something with the place itself.”

Jesse sighed. “Just ask, archer.” He felt tired; he three hours behind the wheel not helping matters much. Not to mention the nine-hour mission that preceded them. At least it was a successful one. Lumerico was not getting their hands on this contract. How could they when they never go to the meeting in the first place? One of the other contenders claimed it by now. 

“Should we expect trouble?”

And that was the thing, wasn’t it? Jesse had no idea. It’s been years and he would bet there will be something alright. He just hadn’t had the courage guess what. 

“Bit worried about the welcome, yeah.” 

Hanzo frowned, fingers curling on his thighs. 

“Are you sure we should be taking the risk?”

Jesse scoffed. “Oh, ‘am not worried about Y'all. It’s me who’s in trouble here. You’ll be fine.”

That made Hanzo’s eyebrows arch. Jesse chuckled at the incredulous expression, he reached over to grab one of Hanzo’s hands and brought it up to his lips, pressing a kiss on the back of it. Hanzo’s eyes softened. 

 

Jesse stopped the pick-up on the farther side of the smaller barn, hidden from anyone who could be watching from the road they just used to get there. He took a deep breath, peeking from under his hat at the farmhouse just to see a curtain it the top window move. 

The others were jumping from the back and Hanzo was already half out, before turning to Jesse. 

“Are you sure about this?” 

Well, even if he wasn’t, it was too late to run now. “Yeah. Just leave your weapons where they are.” Hanzo did not look convinced but nodded anyway. 

Jesse opened the door and the hot dry air hit him in the face with enough force to make him wince. Was it possible it smelled familiar to him? Even after so many years? 

“Y’all better stay right where you are!” A female voice shouted. Don’t know who ya are but you better move on right the fuck now!” S dog started to bark, almost drowning out the last words. But damn if those weren’t familiar. 

Jesse pushed from the car a straightened, before letting out a piercing whistle and then hollering: “Dusty, stop barkin’ ya silly dog!”

There was a pause. He noticed Lucio pressing at his left ear with a grimace but Jesse had no mind to apologize right now. 

“Jessito?” A tiny, lithe woman appeared in the door, wearing a dark coat and holding a much too large shotgun. She was beautiful. Jesse’s eyes stung a bit at the sight. She looked much like he remembered; big dark eyes, sharp chin, and wavy dark hair that now had strands of silver going through it. On her head sat the black cowboy hat he gave her the last time he’d been here. 

“Hey, Ma.” 

He knew the others were staring at him. At them both. But he couldn’t find in himself to care. Well, no too much. He had a half mind to look at Hanzo at least. His boyfriend of two years probably hadn’t expected to meet Jesse’s mother today. He felt a pang of guilt at not warning him. But he had no idea how he would be received. 

Now that he stared at his mother as she covered her mouth with her free hand, tears gathering in those big brown eyes, he knew it wouldn’t be too bad. 

“I’m sorry we-”

A big furry ball collided with him, making him stumble. Suddenly a dog tongue was licking all over his face and he sputtered. 

“Dusty! Stap that ya big goofball! Get down!” he pushed the wildly wagging dog down, petting the dirty grey coat just a little, and holding him so he couldn’t jump up at him again. When he raised his head again, his mother was making her way to him, shotgun forgotten by the door. 

“Ma, we-” he tried again but the warning finger pointed in his direction silenced him immediately. 

“Seven years! Seven years and nothing more than an odd note or a rushed video call. You better have some good explanation, Jesse James McCree, or I swear to god I will bend you over my knee right here and now!” 

“Oh god,” he whined as Lucio snorted a laugh and Mei giggled. When he dared to look, even Hanzo, the traitor, had a hand over his mouth to discretely hide his smirk. 

He turned back to his mother, who was now standing just a few feet away scowling up at him. 

“It wasn’t safe for you, Ma. I’m a wanted man, remember?” 

She scoffed. “Do I look like I can’t take care of myself, mijo? Do I?” 

Jesse considered himself a brave man, but not as brave as to say his mother to her face she couldn’t handle herself. “No, ma’am.” 

“Then don’t gimme that bullshit excuse. I was worried about you!”

He absolutely did not shuffle his feet. Anyone who said otherways lied. “Sorry, Ma. But I’m okay, see?” He spread out his arms, only belatedly remembering that was not quite the truth. 

“Mijo, yer arm!” Her eyes widened as she took in the prosthetic arm. Jesse winced. 

Fuck.

“Ah, right, that. It’s fine, don’tcha worry. It’s old.”

She glared at him. “You had both yer arms the last time I saw you and ya hadn’t mentioned anything about it in those few messages you sent.”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “Didn’t want ya to worry. ‘S not a big deal. Works almost better than the old one.”

He should have expected the hit. He really should have. 

Palming his stinging shoulder he pouted. 

“Ma, stap it. It’s not a bid deal.” 

“You have lost your arm!” She emphasized, pointing at his arm with both of her hands in an over the top gesture. “What would be a big deal? Yer dick?”

More snickers. 

“...that might, yeah.  But come on, not now?” He gestured to the others. “We are in a bit of a pickle. Think you could hide us here for a bit?”  

“Well, why haven’t you said anything! Of course, I can.” She turned to them. “I’m sorry ya had to see this mess. But ya know my son  _ didn’t tell me _ to expect guests.  _ Or him. _ ” Jesse very nearly rolled his eyes but refrained, his mom packed quite the punch. 

“We are sorry to disturb you like this. As Jesse said, we are in need of a place to lay low for a while. Hopefully, we will be out of your hair by tomorrow.” Ana said in a polite and matter-of-fact tone. 

The disappointment in his mother’s face felt like a slap. 

Jesse squared his shoulders and plastered on a smile for her. “Ma, this is Ana. She’s the one I told you about.”

_ That  _ distracted his mother from her sadness, her face lit with a wide smile. “Oh yes! Yer the one made this oaf of mine shape up after he got himself into all that trouble. It’s real good to finally meet ya!” She shook Ana’s hand with vigor. The old sniper smiled back at her. 

“It is pleasure.”

The scene brought a strange heartache to Jesse, looking at his mother and his mother figure away from home smiling at each other. He shook his head turning to the rest. 

“And these are Lucio, Zarya, and Mei. We all work together.”

His mother greeted them with the same wide smile Jesse inherited before turning her gaze to Hanzo, now clearly curious why Jesse singled him out. 

“And this is Hanzo, he’s…” he trailed off, not sure what he should say but Hanzo looked at him and let through a tiny smile, Jesse’s uncertainty melted away, “mine,” he finished eventually with a goofy smile of his own. 

His mother’s eyes widened, flitting from Hanzo to Jesse and back. Then suddenly he had arms full of her and she was squeezing his neck like a vice. 

“Oh, honey! I didn’t believe I would see the day!” She exclaimed into his left ear before abruptly letting him go and turning to Hanzo, who was now looking a bit spooked. 

“It’s so nice to meet you, Hanzo!” She grabbed his hand between her own, shaking it vigorously. “I have almost lost hope for any grandkids. Oh, and you are so handsome, too!” 

Hanzo’s face went from spooked to genuinely alarmed and Jesse had to intervene, his own cheeks reddening at his mother’s words. 

“Okay!” He pulled her from Hanzo and to his side. “Everyone, this is my mom, Jezebel. She’s-” A dog landing on his back propelled him forward, making him stumble. Dusty landed safely next to him, wagging his tail; the loling tongue and red kerchief around his neck making him look even more mischevious.

“You’re a terror.”

“He missed you, too, ya know? He got always so excited when he heard yer voice from the holovid.” 

Jesse grabbed the hand smirking Hanzo extended to him, letting himself be pulled up and then bending to dust his knees. 

“Yeah, yeah. You mind if we set up in this here barn? I know there isn’t enough room in the house.”

His mom frowned at that. “I don’t like it none fer you all to sleep in a barn but yer right about the space. But let me get y’all some pillows and blankets at least, make it a little more comfortable. You can look inside if ya want. Jesse, you come help me.” 

They all thanked her and Jesse squeezed Hanzo's hand before letting it go. The archer gave him a look that clearly told Jesse there will be having words later but for now, he headed with the others to the barn. 

Jesse followed his mother in, Dusty trotting happily next to them. 

“What about Julia?” Jesse asked as they climbed the few stairs to the porch. It looked pretty much the same as the last time he was here, few more potted plants appeared and the swing on the right was now red instead of gray. But other than that it seemed like the time stopped here. “Should we let you talk to her first?”

“Julia’s gone.”

Jesse froze mid-step, turning to his mother in horror. “What?”

“Oh no, not like that, don’t fret. She’s at the university now, lives with her father in Albuquerque.” 

“With that deadbeat?” Jesse frowned. 

His mother laughed. “He’s not  _ that _ bad.”

“Ya deserved better.”

“Ya mean like yer father?” 

Jesse’s expression soured. “I said better.” 

“‘S okay, mijo. Can’t win them all. I got two pretty amazing kids out of it all, so ‘am not complainin’. As your abuela would say, who needs a man in their life anyway?” She paused, smirking at him over her shoulder. “With some exceptions, obviously.”

Jesse blushed. “Maaa.” 

“Don’t be coy with me now, Jessito. That is one good lookin’ man you picked fer yourself. He treating you right?”

He couldn’t stop the grin taking over his face. “Yeah, he really does.” 

His mother’s smirk morphed into a genuine smile, her big eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I am so glad, honey. You could use someone lovin’ on you for a while.”

“Maybe longer than a while,” he replied, suddenly unable to keep it to himself. She pressed her hands to her chest, the tears finally overflowing. 

“Oh, Jesse.” She hugged him and he had to press his face into her head so he could pretend he wasn’t tearing up as well. 

When she pushed him away, she wiggled her finger at him. “Ya better invite both me and your sister to the wedding, understood? Or there will be hell to pay!”

He chuckled, grabbing her finger and pressing a kiss to it. “I haven’t even asked him yet, so don’t you go planning the wedding. But of course, I want ya there. Both of ya.”

“Good. Now come help me with those linens, you oaf.” 

He went with a laugh and heart lighter that he had in years.

 

He entered the barn just to find it empty. Well, not empty, there was the tractor and a plow and tons of other stuff lying around. But his teammates were nowhere in sight. Someone whistled. 

“Up here, cowboy!” 

He looked up to see them all peering down at him from the hay store. “There y’all are, help me get this up?” He gestured with his arms full of blankets and linen they could put under them. 

Lucio and Zarya climbed down, taking it from him just as his mother entered with a blanket stuffed with pillows of all shapes and sizes. 

“Oh! The hay store, great thinkin’. Here, Jesse, throw these up there?” She held the blanket to him and he took the pillows one or two at a time throwing them up, where Hanzo caught them all; no matter how hard Jesse tried to hit him with one. 

“I’ll let ya make the sleepin’ yourselves and go make some grub fer us.”

“Oh, would you like some help, Mrs. McCree?” Mei asked, leaning over the edge. “Both me and Lucio can cook and we would love to help you somehow.” 

“Well, aren’tcha sweethearts. I’ll be glad fer some help, thank ya kindly. Jesse is near useless in the kitchen unless it’s fried.” 

Mei and Lucio laughed. “We noticed,” replied the DJ, ignoring Jesse’s indignant protests. 

They followed his mother out, leaving Jesse to help with the sleeping preparations; so he climbed up the creaking leader. Up there Zarya and Hanzo were stretching the linens that will go over the already spread out hay. It will be much more comfortable night than had Jesse imagined. 

“So,” Ana Amari started from next to him. “You mother is quite the formidable lady. I suddenly understand why did you take so well to a strict hand.” She was smirking, Jesse knew it, even if her mouth didn’t show it. “I’m surprised you got into all that trouble with her around.” 

Jesse scoffed in self-deprecation. “If I stayed with her I probably wouldn’t. Instead, I did what my piece of shit of a father did and chose gang over ‘booring farming’. Worked well fer me.” His voice turned bitter, as he chucked the pillows onto the newly stretched linen. “Took Reyes more than a decade to convince me to find her and apologize fer being an idiot.”

“And she forgave you, so don’t work yourself up about it now.” Ana patted his shoulder consolingly. 

Jesse sighed. “I know. She let me come back even if she already moved on in her life.”

“Mother does not ‘move on’ from her child. Continues living, yes, but doesn’t discard them like yesterday papers.” Ana tutted at him. 

Jesse aquisced with a nod. 

“When I did come back, with Reyes at my back, she wasn't alone anymore. But the guy was shit, tho they did have another kid. So suddenly I got myself a little sister.”

Hanzo looked up at that. “You have a sibling?” he asked with interest. 

“Yeah, a tiny thing like mom.”Jesse chuckled. “Horrible little troll and smart as a whip; wants to be a vet. Or I think she does, not sure anymore. So yeah, that one was a surprise. Then the things at Overwatch started to go downhill and I left.” He didn’t like to think about that time but his mother and sister were the only bright things he could see at the time. “Ended up living with them fer over a year; made them move, though.” Reyes knew about their existence but at least he no longer had their address and couldn’t use them as easy leverage. That was something. “Then the bounty popped up and I didn't want to drag them into that pile of shite, so I left. Hadn’t been back here since.” 

He said all that while focusing his gaze on the pillows, not wanting to see any pity from them. He fucked up his life on his own, everyone had to pay for their stupid choices eventually. 

Ana had not asked any more questions after that. 

 

He pulled Hanzo aside after dinner; a simple meal of rice, chicken stir-fry, and a bowl of salad. Hanzo was still nursing his glass of sweet tea and Jesse chuckled, plucked it out of his hands and finished it accompanied by Hanzo’s relieved expression. 

“Ya could have just said no, ya know?” 

“I did not wish to be rude.” 

Jesse rolled his eyes. “It’s ruder to pretend you like something. At least in this household.”

Hanzo considered that before nodding. “I will remember that.” 

Jesse took him by his hand, guiding them to the back of the house and further back to where the horse pasture was. He leaned over the fence, looking out into the distance as the world around them colored in shades of gold and red as sun set. 

“Why haven’t you told me?” 

Jesse expected that question but it hadn’t made it any easier for him to answer it. He let out a huff of mirthless laughter. 

“Honestly? It hadn’t even cross my mind. I’ve been keeping them secret for so long it became a second nature to suppress even thinking about them.” He turned to the beautiful, strong man on his right; breathtaking in the soft light. “It wasn’t because I didn't want you to meet them, Han. In fact, seeing you in the same room with my mom? I never imagined anything could feel this good. _ This right _ .”

Hanzo turned to him, head tilting to one side in a contemplative manner he only showed when he was being playful. Jesse waited. 

“I believe your mother is even more pleased about it than you are. Her enthusiastic welcome was rather… unexpected.” Jesse nearly blushed just at the memory. “But I must say I find it to be a rather charming family trait.”

Jesse laughed at the teasing glint in Hanzo's eyes, turning around enough so he could tug Hanzo closer and press a soft kiss on his mouth. 

“That’s the McCree family fer ya, darlin’. Charming, and loud, and silly.” He kissed Hanzo between each word then pulled away a little, stomach fluttering with nerves. But he had to know. “And yours if you will have us.”

Hanzo looked at him for a long moment, his eyes flicking all over Jesse’s face as if searching for something. He had to find something, as his expression softened and he smiled one of his rare wide smiles. 

“It would be my honor, Jesse McCree.” At that moment Jesse felt like he could burst from all the joy but he put all his strength into keeping a lid on it, only leaning forward and whispering against Hanzo’s parted lips: 

“Then welcome home, sweetheart.”

**Author's Note:**

> PS: my mama McCree and Dusty are heavily inspired by this amazing art here http://artsybizaar.tumblr.com/post/157201845572/some-things-never-change by artsybizaar


End file.
